User:Amroth/Screenplays/Peter Jackson's The Two Towers/Test5
ARAGORN
Togo hon dad, Legolas! (Bring him down,
Legolas!) [Legolas shoots the Uruk-hai
in the shoulder but the latter keeps
going] Dago hon! Dago hon! (Kill him!
Kill him!)
[Legolas shoots the Uruk again. It stumbles
and then throws it self and the torch
at the bombs. An enormous explosion
is set off, blowing away a large part
of the wall. Rock, debris and bodies
are thrown up. Aragorn is also thrown
back by the force of the explosion and
on the ground, knocked out. Théoden
looks on in shock as the Uruk-hai streams
in past the Deeping Walls.]
THÉODEN
Brace the Gate! Hold them! Stand firm!
[Gimli sees the Uruk-hai charging in
with Aragorn in their path. With a cry,
he jumps down from the wall and lands
on the Uruk-hai army, taking them out
as he stands.]
GIMLI
Aragorn!! Argh!
[He is soon overpowered. Aragorn gets
up and sees Gimli falling.]
ARAGORN
Gimli! [He yells to the Elves behind
him] Hado i philinn! (Hurl the arrows!)
[The arrows take out the first group
of Uruk-hai coming through the hole
in the wall.]
ARAGORN
Herio! (Charge!)
[Aragorn leads the Elves in a charge
towards the Uruk-hai streaming in. He
rushes to Gimli’s side and picks him
up. At the top of the battlements, Legolas
grabs a shield and sends it sliding
across the ground. He then hops onto
it and surfs down the steps, releasing
three arrows as he goes, and kicking
the shield to stab an Uruk-hai as he
lands at the bottom.]
[At the Ent Moot]
TREEBEARD
The Ents cannot hold back this storm.
We must weather such things as we have
always done.
MERRY
How can that be your decision?!
TREEBEARD
This is not our war.
MERRY
But you're part of this world! Aren’t
you?! [The Ents look at one another,
taken back] You must help, please! You
must do something!
TREEBEARD
You are young and brave, Master Merry.
But your part in this tale is over.
Go back to your home.
[Merry is putting on his jacket. Pippin
approaches him slowly]
PIPPIN
Maybe Treebeard’s right. We don’t belong
here, Merry. It's too big for us. What
can we do in the end? We've got the
Shire. Maybe we should go home.
MERRY
[Looking into the distance.] The fires
of Isengard will spread. And the woods
of Tuckborough and Buckland will burn.
And all that was once green and good
in this world will be gone. [Turns to
Pippin and puts a hand on his shoulder]
There won't be a Shire, Pippin.
[Pippin looks after Merry as he walks
away.]
GAMLING
Aragorn! Fall back to the Keep! Get
your men out of there!
ARAGORN
Na Barad! Na Baraad! Haldir, na Barad!
(To the Keep! Pull back to the Keep!
Haldir, to the Keep!)
[Haldir nods and turns back. Gimli is
being carried away, kicking and struggling
as he goes]
GIMLI
[Protesting] What are you doing? Argh!
What are you stopping for!
[HALDIR HACKS AT A FEW URUK AS HE TURNS TOWARDS
THE GATE. SUDDENLY, HE IS STABBED IN HIS ARM.]
With a grimace, he kills the Uruk-hai
and looks down as his wound in seeming
disbelief. An Uruk-hai comes up from
behind him unnoticed and slices him
on the neck. As Haldir goes down, he
looks around him and sees his kin fallen
among dead Uruk-hai.]
ARAGORN
[Sees Haldir falling] HALDIR!! [He runs
up the steps to Haldir’s side and catches
him and he collapses. Haldir's head
rolls back, his eyes empty and unseeing.
Aragorn bows his head in grief. Then
with a cry, he jumps onto a ladder and
swings down to the ground, killing as
he goes.]
GAMLING
Brace the gate!
SOLDIER
Hold them!
THÉODEN
[Drawing his sword] To the gate! Draw
your swords!
[Théoden and his commanders come to
the gate, which is under heavy attack.
The Uruk-hai are knocking down the gate
and hacking through the broken wood.
Théoden stabs at an Uruk-hai and receives
a lance in his shoulder, blocked by
his armour. Grimacing in pain, Théoden
continues to stab at the Uruk until
led away by Gamling.]
GAMLING
Make way! We cannot hold much longer.
THÉODEN
Hold them!
ARAGORN
[Runs up and stabs away at the Uruk-hai
through the broken gate] How long do
you need?
GAMLING
Brace the gate!
THÉODEN
As long as you can give me!
ARAGORN
Gimli!
THEODEN
Timbers! Brace the Gate!
[Aragorn and Gimli slip out a side exit
and stand on a ledge just to the side
of the main gate. Aragorn peeks over,
seeing the large band of Uruk-hai storming
the gate.]
GIMLI
Come on! We can take ‘em!
ARAGORN
It’s a long way.
[Gimli takes a peek and then steps back.]
GIMLI
[Mumbles] Toss me.
ARAGORN
What?
GIMLI
I cannot jump the distance! You’ll have
to toss me!
[Aragorn nods slowly and then turns
to grab the Dwarf.]
GIMLI
Oh! [Gimli stays Aragorn’s hand] Don’t
tell the Elf.
ARAGORN
Not a word.
[He tosses Gimli to the head of the
Causeway and then leaps over.]
GIMLI
[Making quick work of killing the Uruk-hai]
ARGH!!
[On the other side of the gate]
THÉODEN
Shore up the door!
SOLDIER 1
Make way!
SOLDIER 2
Follow me to the barricade.
SOLDIER 3
Watch our backs!
SOLDIER 4
Throw another one over here!
THÉODEN
Higher!
[Men are bracing the gate with wood
and nails. Aragorn and Gimli continue
to fight off the Uruk-hai just outside.
Meanwhile the Uruk-hai load and fires
enormous hooks over the battlements.
Hundred of Uruk-hai climb onto super-ladders
as they are pulled up towards the walls,
the super-ladders locking onto the edge
of the battlements with their steel
grips. Legolas takes aim as another
super-ladder is being pulled up and
shoots away one of the ropes. The ladder
falls back onto the Uruk-hai army.]
SOLDIER
Hold fast the gate!]
THÉODEN
[Through a crack in the gate] Gimli!
Aragorn! Get out of there!
[Legolas calls to them from the top
of the battlements]
LEGOLAS
Aragorn! [He throws them a rope]
[Aragorn grabs Gimli in one hand and
the rope with the other as they are
pulled up the wall. Just then the Uruk-hai
load and fires enormous hooks over the
battlements. Hundred of Uruk-hai climb
onto super-ladders as they are pulled
up towards the walls, the super-ladders
locking onto the edge of the battlements
with their steel grips. Legolas takes
aim as another super-ladder is being
pulled up and shoots away one of the
ropes. The ladder falls back onto the
Uruk-hai army.]
THÉODEN
Pull everybody back! Pull them back!
GAMLING
Fall back! Fall back!
THÉODEN
They’ve broken through! The castle is
breached. Retreat!
GAMLING
Fall back!
THÉODEN
Retreat!
ARAGORN
Hurry! Inside! Get them inside!
GAMLING
Into the Keep!
[They all run towards the keep, Legolas
firing two arrows into the Uruk-hai
army as he goes.]
[Treebeard is walking through the forest,
carrying Merry and Pippin. The hobbits
look dejected.]
TREEBEARD
I will leave you at the western borders
of the forest. You can make your way
north to your homeland from there.
[Pippin suddenly looks up with a gleam
in his eyes.]
PIPPIN
Wait! Stop! Stop! [Treebeard comes to
a stop.] Turn around. Turn around. Take
us south!
TREEBEARD
South? But that will lead you past Isengard.
PIPPIN
Yes. Exactly. If we go south we can
slip past Saruman unnoticed. The closer
we are to danger, the farther we are
from harm. It’s the last thing he’ll
expect.
TREEBEARD
Mmmm. That doesn’t make sense to me.
But then, you are very small. Perhaps
you’re right. South it is then. Hold
on, little Shirelings. I always like
going south. Somehow it feels like going
down hill.
MERRY
Are you mad? We’ll be caught!
PIPPIN
No we won’t. Not this time.
[Faramir and company draws close to
Osgiliath.]
RANGER 1
Look! Osgiliath burns!
RANGER 2
Mordor has come.
FRODO
[With tears in his eyes] The Ring will
not save Gondor. It has only the power
to destroy. Please, let me go.
[Faramir hesitates for a moment.]
FARAMIR
Hurry. [He presses them on]
FRODO
Faramir, you must let me go!
[Frodo and Sam are pushed on towards
Osgiliath]
[Treebeard, Merry and Pippin come to
the southern edge of the forest.]
TREEBEARD
And a little family of field mice that
climb up sometimes and they tickle me
awfully. They’re always trying to get
somewhere where they – Oh!! [He sees
the desolated landscape of tree stumps
that used to be forested grounds] Many
of these trees were my friends. Creatures
I had known from nut and acorn.
PIPPIN
I’m sorry, Treebeard.
TREEBEARD
[With tears in his eyes] They had voices
of their own. [His gaze turns to the
treeless Isengard and its smoking caverns]
Saruman! A wizard should know better!
[He lets out a ferocious roar that echoes
through the forest]
TREEBEARD
There is no curse in Elvish, Entish
or the tongues of men for this treachery.
My business is with Isengard tonight.
With rock and stone!
[Merry and Pippin turn around as they
hear rumbles from the forest. They see
many Ents emerging and marching towards
them]
MERRY
Yes!
TREEBEARD
Hoorarooom... Come my friends. The Ents
are going to war. It is likely that
we go to our doom. Last march of the
Ents!
[Osgiliath is still under siege as Faramir
and company arrives, dodging arrows
and falling rocks.]
MADRIL
Faramir, Orcs have taken the eastern
shore. Their numbers are too great.
By nightfall we’ll be overrun.
[Frodo suddenly seems stricken]
SAM
Mr Frodo!
FRODO
It’s calling to him, Sam. His eye is
almost on me.
SAM
Hold on, Mr. Frodo… You'll be alright...
[Frodo sees that Sam is speaking to
him but he hears nothing. His senses
are overcome.]
FARAMIR
Take them to my father. Tell him Faramir
sends a mighty gift. A weapon that will
change our fortunes in this war.
[Sam breaks away as they are being led
away.]
SAM
Do you want to know what happened to
Boromir? You want to know why your brother
died? He tried to take the Ring from
Frodo! After swearing an oath to protect
him, he tried to kill him! The Ring
drove your brother mad!
RANGER
Watch out!
[A boulder crashes into a tower overhead
and shatters it. Suddenly, Frodo’s eyes
roll up and he stares at Faramir strangely.]
SAM
Mr Frodo?
FRODO
[In a faraway voice] They’re here. They’ve
come.
FARAMIR
[Looking up] NAZGÛL!! [He grabs the
hobbits and thrusts them into a corner.]
Stay here. Keep out of sight. [To his
men] Take cover!
[Banners of the White Hand are flying
from the battlements of Helm’s Deep.
The Hornburg is overrun with Uruk-hai.
Théoden and company are in the hall
of the keep.]
THÉODEN
The fortress is taken. It is over.
ARAGORN
[Carrying a table with Legolas to shore
up the door of the hall] You said this
fortress would never fall while your
men defend it! They still defend it!
They have died defending it!
[In the Glittering Caves, the women
and children cry in fear as they hear
the battering ram banging on the door.]
WOMAN
They are breaking in!
ARAGORN
Is there no other way for the women
and children to get out of the caves?
[There is no answer.] Is there no other
way?
GAMLING
There is one passage. It leads into
the mountains. But they will not get
far. The Uruk-hai are too many.
ARAGORN
Send word for the women and children
to make for the mountain pass. And barricade
the entrance.
THÉODEN
So much death. What can men do against
such reckless hate?
ARAGORN
[Pause] Ride out with me. Ride out and
meet them.
THÉODEN
[A light of determination shines in
his eyes] For death and glory.
ARAGORN
For Rohan. For your people.
GIMLI
The sun is rising.
[Aragorn looks up at a window to see
faint light streaming through. He recalls
Gandalf's words.]
GANDALF (V.O.)
Look to my coming at first light on
the fifth day. At dawn, look to the
east.
THÉODEN
Yes. Yes! The horn of Helm Hammerhand
shall sound in the deep one last time!
GIMLI
Yes! [Gimli runs up the steps to the
horn of Helm Hammerhand]
THÉODEN
Let this be the hour when we draw swords
together. Fell deeds awake. Now for
wrath! Now for ruin! And a red dawn!
[He mounts his horse and puts on his
helmet. The sound of the horn rumbles
through Helm's Deep as Gimli blows with
gusto.]
THÉODEN
FORTH EORLINGAS!!
[Théoden leads the charge out of the
keep into the Hornburg, slashing away
at the Uruk-hai as they go. Without
pause, they storm out of the gate and
down the Causeway, right into the column
of waiting Uruk-hai. In the midst of
battle, Aragorn looks east and sees
a white rider against the rising sun]
ARAGORN
Gandalf.
GANDALF
Théoden king stands alone.
ÉOMER
[Coming up from behind] Not alone. [He
raises a hand] Rohirrim!!
[Riders move up behind Éomer.]
THÉODEN
[Looking to the east] Éomer!
ÉOMER
To the king!
[The Rohirrim and the White Rider charge
down the slope. Half the Uruk-hai army
turns to face the challenge, bearing
their spears down towards the riders.
As the riders draw closer, the sun rises
behind them, momentarily blinding the
Uruk-hai who raise the hands (and spears)
to shield their eyes. The riders crash
right into the Uruk-hai and engage them
in battle.]
[The Ents are stomping over Isengard,
swinging their huge limbs, throwing
and stamping on Orcs and rolling huge
boulders over the ground. An Ent is
pulled down with chains by some Orcs,
who immediately jump on and hacks away
at his wooden limbs. Saruman rushes
out onto the balcony of Orthanc and
stares at the pandemonium in incredulity.
Merry and Pippin also throws stones
at Orcs, their aims true.]
PIPPIN
Yes!
TREEBEARD
A hit. A fine hit!
[Two Ents rock a wooden structure and
push it over into the caverns below,
smashing against the rock. Some Orcs
fire flamed-tipped arrows at an Ent,
setting him on fire. Saruman continues
to look about from his balcony, helpless.
Some Ents are now breaking away at a
dam.]
TREEBEARD
Break the dam! Release the river!
[The dam is broken and Saruman looks
up to see the river rushing down the
slope towards Isengard, washing away
Orcs and wooden structures in its path.
]
MERRY
Pippin, hold on! [The hobbits tighten
their hold on top of Treebeard]
TREEBEARD
Hold on, little hobbits!
[Treebeard braces himself against the
flood. As the water rushes over Isengard,
an Ent rushes in and thrusts his burning
body into the water. The water rushes
into the caverns, washing away the bridges,
mechanisms and structures within.]
[Frodo walks slowly away from the safe
corner. Gondorian Rangers are still
running about, defending their stations.]
SAM
What are you doing? Where are you going?!
[SLOW MOTION
Frodo walks up some stairs and stands
on a bridge. A Nazgûl on a Fell beast
emerges in front of him. Frodo stares
at the Nazgûl, fixated. Feeling the
call of the Ring, he holds it up. Faramir
watches the unfolding tableau from below.
As Frodo moves to put the Ring on his
finger and the Nazgûl flies closer and
closer, Sam runs up and knocks Frodo
over. Faramir releases an arrow and
shoots the Fell Beast. Frodo and Sam
roll down the stairs. As they come to
a stop at the bottom, Frodo holds Sam
in a death grip, yells and points Sting
at his throat, his eyes livid with madness
and anger that someone would try to
take the Ring away.]
FRODO
Aaarrgghh!!!
SAM
[With tears running down his face] It’s
me. It’s your Sam. Don’t you know your
Sam?
[The madness fades and recognition returns
to Frodo’s eyes. He realises what he
nearly did and is overcome. Stumbling
backwards, he collapses against a wall
and Sting falls to the ground with a
clang. Sam gets up slowly.]
FRODO
[Slowly and with despair] I can’t do
this, Sam.
SAM
[Getting up slowly] I know. It’s all
wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be
here. But we are. [He stands and leans
against a wall, looking out into the
distance.] It’s like in the great stories,
Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered.
Full of darkness and danger they were.
And sometimes you didn’t want to know
the end. Because how could the end be
happy? [Images of the riders winning
the battle against the Uruk-hai at Helm’s
Deep] How could the world go back to
the way it was when so much bad had
happened?
THÉODEN
Victory! We have victory! [He raises
his sword with a victorious cry]
SAM
But in the end, it’s only a passing
thing, this shadow. [The women and children
welcome the men as they return. Éowyn
runs up to Aragorn and embraces him,
crying tears of relief.] Even darkness
must pass. A new day will come. [Isengard
is flooded. Merry and Pippin looks on
from their perch on Treebeard. On the
balcony, Saruman stumbles back into
his chamber] And when the sun shines
it will shine out the clearer. Those
were the stories that stayed with you.
That meant something, even if you were
too small to understand why. But I think,
Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now.
Folk in those stories had lots of chances
of turning back only they didn’t. They
kept going because they were holding
on to something.
FRODO
What are we holding on to, Sam?
SAM
There’s some good in this world, Mr.
Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.
[Standing in a corner, even Gollum seems
moved. Faramir walks over and comes
to kneel in front of Frodo]
FARAMIR
I think at last we understand one another,
Frodo Baggins.
MADRIL
You know the laws of our country, the
laws of your father. If you let them
go, your life will be forfeit.
FARAMIR
Then it is forfeit. Release them.
[Sam shakes the ranger’s hand from his
shoulder. Frodo looks up at Faramir
with gladness. Over in the realm of
Rohan, Gandalf, Théoden and company
ride to the top of a slope, looking
towards the Mountain of Fire in the
distance.]
GANDALF
Sauron’s wrath will be terrible, his
retribution swift. The battle for Helm’s
Deep is over. The battle for Middle-earth
is about to begin. All our hopes now
lie with two little hobbits. Somewhere
in the wilderness.
[Frodo and Sam are walking through the
woods, away from Osgiliath.]
SAM
I wonder if we’ll ever be put into songs
or tales.
FRODO
What?
SAM
I wonder if people will ever say, ‘let’s
hear about Frodo and the Ring.’ And
they’ll say ‘yes, that’s one of my favorite
stories. Frodo was really courageous,
wasn’t he, dad.’ ‘Yes, my boy, the most
famousest of hobbits. And that’s saying
alot.’
FRODO
Huh, you left out one of the chief characters
– Samwise the Brave. I want to hear
more about Sam.
[Frodo turns to look at Sam.]
FRODO
Frodo wouldn’t have got far without
Sam.
SAM
Now Mr. Frodo, you shouldn’t make fun.
I was being serious.
FRODO
[smiling] So was I. [He turns to walk
on]
SAM
[Dreamily] Samwise the Brave. [He gives
his backpack a heave and follows Frodo]
[Gollum is crouching a short distance
away]
FRODO
Sméagol!
SAM
We’re not gonna wait for you. Come on!
SMÉAGOL
Master... Master looks after us. Master
wouldn’t hurt us.
GOLLUM
Master broke his promise.
SMÉAGOL
Don’t ask Sméagol. Poor, poor Sméagol.
GOLLUM
Master betrayed us! Wicked, tricksy,
false. We ought to wring his filthy
little neck. [Twists the branch of a
tree] Kill him! Kill him! Kill them
both. And then we take the precious
and we be the master.
SMÉAGOL
[Scuttles and hides behind a tree] The
fat hobbit, he knows. Eyes always watching.
GOLLUM
Then we stabs them out. Put out his
eyeses. And make HIM crawl.
SMÉAGOL
[Bites on his finger and nods eagerly]
Yes! Yes! Yes!
GOLLUM
Kill them both.
SMÉAGOL
Yes! No no! [Backs away against a tree]
It’s too risky, it’s too risky.
[He looks in the direction of the hobbits]
SAM
Where’s he gone? Hey Gollum, where are
you?
FRODO
Sméagol?
GOLLUM
[Softly and sinisterly] We could let
HER do it.
SMÉAGOL
Yes. She could do it.
GOLLUM
Yes, precious she could. And then we
takes it once they’re dead.
SMÉAGOL
Once they’re dead…
GOLLUM
Shh… [He pops out from hiding in front
of the hobbits.]
SMÉAGOL
Come on, hobbits. Long ways to go yet.
Sméagol will show you the way.
[He turns to walk on, with Frodo and
Sam following behind.]
GOLLUM
Follow me.
[ Camera pans up over the forest and
Ephel Dúath to reveal the desolation
of Mordor. To the left of the frame
is the glowing Eye of Sauron atop Barad-dûr,
and to the right of the frame is the
fiery Mount Doom. Three Fell Beasts
circle the dark skies. Lightning flashes
as the scene fades to black.]